Up, Aloft in the Air
Up, Aloft in the Air (第1/3页)
BucksawnowthatthesituationbetweenNancyandhimselfwasconsiderablymoreseriousthanhehadimagined.Sheexhibitedunmistakablesignsofaleaninginhisdirection.Theleaningwasacute,sometimeshethoughtshewouldfall,sometimeshethoughtshewouldnotfall,sometimeshedidntcare,andineverywaytriedtoprovehimselfthemanthathewas.Itmeantdressinginunusualclothesandthebreakingofoldhabits.Buthowcouldheshatterherdreamsafteralltheyhadenduredtogether?afteralltheyhadjointlyseenanddonesincefirstidentifyingClevelandasCleveland?"Nancy,"hesaid,"Imtooold.Imnotnice.Thereismysontoconsider,Peter."Herhandtouchedtheareabetweenherbreastswherehungadecoration,datingheestimatedfromtheWorldWarIperiod——thatfamousperiod!
Theturbojet,their"ship,"landedonitswheels.Buckwonderedaboutthewheels.Whydidnttheyshearoffwhentheaircraftlandedsohardwithasoundlikethunder?Manyhadwonderedbeforehim.Wonderingwaspartofthehistoryoflighter-than-air-ness,youfool.ItwasNancyherself,standingbehindhimintheexitline,whohadsuggestedthattheydanceonthelandingstrip."Toestablishrapportwiththeterrain,"shesaidwithherdistantcoolness,mademoreintensebythehotglareoftheEdwardpievendorsandcustomstrees.Theydancedthecomb,themeringue,thedolcefarniente.Itwasgloriousthereonthestrip,amidairrichwiththeincrediblevitalityofjetfuelandthesensatemusicofexhaust.Twilightwasloweredontothelandingpattern,atwilightsuchashasnevergracedClevelandbefore,orsince.Thenbroken,heartlesslaughterandthehurriedtriptothehotel.
"Iunderstand,"Nancysaid.Andlookingatherdispassionately,Buckconjecturedthatshedidunderstand,unscrupulousasthatmaysound.Probably,heconsidered,Iconvincedheragainstmywill.ThemanfromSouthernRhodesiacorneredhiminthedangeroushotelelevator."DoyouthinkyouhavetherighttoholdopinionswhichdifferfromthoseofPresidentKennedy?"heasked."ThePresidentofyourland?"Butthepartymadeupforallthat,ormostofit,inacuriousway.Thebabyonthefloor,Saul,seemedenjoyable,perhapsmorethanhiswont.Ormywont,Buckthought,whoknows?ARayCharlesrecordspuninthegiganticsaladbowl.BuckdancedthefrissonwiththepainterswifePerpetua(althoughNancywasalone,backatthehotel)."Iamnamed,"Perpetuasaid,"afterthefamoustypefacedesignedbythefamousEnglishdesigner,EricGill,inanearlierpartofourcentury.""Yes,"Bucksaidcalmly,"Iknowthatface."Shetoldhimsoftlythehistoryofheraffairwithherhusband,SaulSenior.Sensuously,theycoveredtheground.Andthentworulypolicegentlemenenteredtheroom,withtheguestsblanching,andlettuceandromaineandradishestooflyingfortheexits,whichwerechokedwithgrass.
Braverywaseverywhere,butnotheretonight,forthegodswerewhistlinguptheirmandarinsleevesintheyellowrealmswheresuchmattersaredecided,forgoodorill.Patheticinhisservilegraciousness,Saulexplainedwhathecouldwhiletheguestsplayedtelephonegamesincrimsonanterooms.Thepolicemen,thefloweroftheClevelandForce,acceptedadrinkanddancedancientpolicedancesofcustodyandenforcement.MagicallythemusiccreptbackundertheperforatedGuamdoors;itwasascomakeyourheartcry."ThatPerpetua,"Saulcomplained,"whyisshetreatingmelikethis?WhyarethelampsturnedlowandwhyhavethenotesIsentherbeenreturnedunopened,coveredwithredPostageDuestamps?"ButBuckhad,inallseriousness,hurriedaway.
Theaircraftwerecallinghim,theirindelibleflightplanswhisperedhisname.Helaidhischeekagainsttherivetedflankofabold707."Incaseoforangeandblueflames,"hewroteonawing,"disengageyourselffromtheaircraftbychoppingaholeinitsbottomifnecessary.Donotbeswayedbythecarpet;itiscamelandverythin.Isuggestthatyoubealarmed,becausethesituationisveryalarming.Youareupintheairperhaps35,000feet,withorangeandblueflamesontheoutsideandaraggedholeinthefloorboards.Whatwillyoudo?"Andnow,Nancy.Heheldouthisarms.Shecametohim.
"Yes."
"Arentwe?"
"Yes."
"Itdoesntmatter."
"Nottoyou.Buttome"
"Imwastingourtime."
"Theothers?"
"Ifeltashamed."
"Itsbeinghere,inCleveland."
Theyreturnedtogetherinahiredautomobile.Threeparkinglotswerefilledwithoverflowcrowdsinanuglymood.Iamtired,soverytired.ThemanfromSouthernRhodesiaaddressedthebellmen,wholistenedtohishatefulwordsandthoughtofotherthings."But,then,"Bucksaid,butthenNancylaidafingeronhislips.
"Youappeartomesosuperior,soelevatedaboveallothermen,"shesaid,"Icontemplateyouwithsuchastrangemixtureofhumility,admiration,revenge,loveandpridethatverylittlesuperstitionwouldbenecessarytomakemeworshipyouasasuperiorbeing."
"Yes,"Bucksaid,foraforeignsculptor,aBavariandoubtless,wassinging"YouCanTakeYourLoveandShoveItUpYourHeart,"coveredthoughhewaswithstonedustandgrog.ThecrowdroaredattheaccompanistsplyingtheexoticinstrumentsofCleveland,thedolor,themangle,thebim.Strumswiftly,fingers!Thebutlersdidnothesitateforaminute."Historywillabsolveme,"Buckreflected,andhetookthehandofferedhimwithitsenormoussapphiresglowinglikeagarage.ThenPerpetuadanceduptohim,hergreatamazingbrowneyelashesbeckoning."WhereisNancy?"sheasked,andbeforehecouldreply,continuedheraccountofthegreatloveofherexistence,herrelationshipwithherhusband,Saul."Hesfunnyandfine,"shesaid,"andgoodandevil.Infactthereissomuchofhimtotellyouabout,Icanhardlygetitalloutbeforecurfew.Doyoumind?"
ThedinofdancinginClevelandwasnowsuchthatmanypeoplewhodidnotknowtheplanwereaffronted."ThisisanaffronttoCleveland,thisdamndin!"onemansaid;andgrogflowedevermorefiercely.TheSecretaryofStateforEroticAffairsflewinfromWashington,thenationscapital,toseeforhimselfatfirsthand,andthemanfromSouthernRhodesiahadnorecourse.HelurkedintotheClevelandAirTerminal."CanIhaveaticketforMiami?"heaskedthedancingticketclerkattheDeltaAirlinescounterhopelessly."NothingtoMiamithisyear,"theclerkcountered."HowcanItalktohiminthismadness?"Nancyaskedherself."Howcanthewhitebirdofhopeblessourcloudedpastandfuturewithallthisnoise?How?How?How?How?How?"
ButSaulwavedintime,fromtheporchofParkingLotTwo.Hewaswearinghisbeltdangerouslylowonhiships."Thereiscopulationeverywhere,"heshouted,fanninghisneck,"becauseofthedancing!Yes,itstrue!"Andsoitwas,incrediblyenough.Affectionwasrunningriotunderthereprehensiblescarletsky.Wewereallafraid."Incredible,incredible,"Bucksaidtohimself."Evenbythoseofwhomyouwouldnothaveexpectedit!"Perpetuaglimmeredathisear."Evenbythose,"sheinsinuated,"ofwhomyouwouldhaveexpectednothing."Foramoment
"Nancy,"Buckexclaimed,"youarejustaboutthenicestdamngirlinCleveland!"
"WhataboutyourwifeinTexas?"Nancyasked.
"Sheisverynicetoo,"Bucksaid,"asamatteroffactthemoreIthinkofit,themoreIbelievethatnicegirlslikeyouandHérodiadearewhatmak
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